Wound dressings with layers for absorbing body fluids are known in the art. Absorbent layers are provided for the uptake of body fluids, especially wound exudate so as to enable the wound to be maintained by the wound dressing in a wound-healing environment.
Much effort has been directed to enhancing the rate of uptake and the capacity of the wound dressing, particular the absorbent layer, to uptake body fluids. In response to this quest, absorbent layers in wound dressings have been provided with hydrocolloids, superabsorbents, and synthetic materials which have extensive capacity to absorb body fluids, especially wound exudate such as disclosed in Assignee's pending U.S. application Ser. No. 08/519,433 filed Aug. 25, 1995, incorporated herein by reference.
Increasing the capacity and rate of fluid uptake within a wound dressing creates problems, particularly in assuring that body fluids do not migrate from the wound dressing. The migration of body fluids, particularly wound exudate from the wound dressing, is disadvantageous because the migrating fluid a) can contaminate the area adjoining the wound area, b) is aesthetically unpleasant for the patient and c) can contaminate medical personnel which is especially a problem in the treatment of patients with communicable diseases such as AIDS and hepatitis, and d) dry the wound bed.
It would therefore be a significant advance in the wound dressing art to form wound dressings which have the advantages of highly absorbent layers for the uptake of body fluids as well as the ability to retain the body fluids within a designated and limited absorbent region so that body fluids do not escape beyond the boundary of the wound dressing. It would be a further advance in the art if the wound dressing could provide a moist environment about the wound for rapid healing of the wound either through moisture from the body fluids or through the addition of moisture alone or in combination with a wound healing substance.